In this review, we will be comparing ForceField 4 and ForceField 3, two Powered Subwoofer speakers by GoldenEar. Being Powered subwoofers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features of GoldenEar ForceField 4 and GoldenEar ForceField 3 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into details in order to better understand how the GoldenEar ForceField 4 and GoldenEar ForceField 3 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these subwoofers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both GoldenEar ForceField 4and GoldenEar ForceField 3 have a single woofer setup however the GoldenEar ForceField 4's woofer is 10-inch whereas the GoldenEar ForceField 3 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ForceField 4 has a frequency range of 14-250 Hz whereas ForceField 3 has a frequency range of 18-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 14Hz, the ForceField 4 can go slightly deeper then the ForceField 3's min frequency of 18Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
Both GoldenEar ForceField 4 and GoldenEar ForceField 3 have Passive Radiator type cabinets. Passive Radiator type subwoofers sports a non-powered cone that moves in response to the main woofer to move air out in order to generate stronger bass in a smaller body compared to ported or sealed designs.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare GoldenEar ForceField 4's and GoldenEar ForceField 3's external dimensions. GoldenEar ForceField 4 has external dimensions of 331.0 x 340.0 x 482.0mm ( 13inch x 13-3/8inch x 18-15/16inch ) whereas GoldenEar ForceField 3 has external dimensions of 288.0 x 293.0 x 432.0mm ( 11-5/16inch x 11-1/2inch x 17inch ) .
GoldenEar ForceField 4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 47mm wider, 43mm taller and 50mm deeper than GoldenEar ForceField 3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of GoldenEar ForceField 4 and GoldenEar ForceField 3 in scale.
Comparison image of GoldenEar ForceField 4 and GoldenEar ForceField 3 Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the GoldenEar ForceField 4 is approximately 1638.8cm2 / 254.0inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar ForceField 3 is approximately 1265.8cm2 / 196.2inch2. The ForceField 4 requires 29% more surface area than the ForceField 3 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The GoldenEar ForceField 4 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs and the GoldenEar ForceField 3 weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the ForceField 4 23% heavier than the ForceField 3.
Here is a comparison of how ForceField 4 and ForceField 3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of GoldenEar ForceField 4?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ForceField 4:
Powered Subwoofer10-feet AC power cordOwners Manual
What's in the Box of GoldenEar ForceField 3?
Here are the items that come with the ForceField 3:
Powered Subwoofer10-feet AC power cordOwners Manual
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
14 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
288mm
vs
331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1265cm2 (293x432mm)
vs
1638cm2 (340x482mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
GoldenEar ForceField 4 |
GoldenEar ForceField 3 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1200 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
14-250 Hz |
18-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1200-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
331.0mm (13") |
288.0mm (11.3") |
| Width |
340.0mm (13.4") |
293.0mm (11.5") |
| Depth |
482.0mm (19") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Weight |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |